In the early 1900s Glenn Curtiss unofficially set the first land speed record for a motorcycle in Yonkers, New York, with the speed of 64mph. Curtiss loved adventure and always tried to push the limits. In 1907 he doubled his own record with a new mark of 136.27 mph. His record was so good that it stood for more than 20 years.

However, in 1930 Joseph S. Wright rode at a speed of 137.23 mph on his motorcycle in Arpajon, France, officially breaking the record previously held by Curtiss.

This created a trend and so from 1930s to 1950s numerous motorcycle riders pushed to set new land speed records on their motorcycles. By 1956, riders started to exceed the 200-mph mark. Record setting attempts were starting to take place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

To this day, Bonneville is still the location for record-breaking attempts. Numerous motorcyclists take advantage of the area's fast conditions to push the land-speed record higher and higher. A new record was set in 1975 when Don Vesco rode his Yamaha motorcycle at a speed exceeding 300 mph.